Monthly Archives: July 2015

I began writing this post in January with the aim of it going on the blog when I was about to head down south, as that’s virtually happened here it is! The other day some friends asked if I’d eaten everywhere in Leeds and of course I haven’t, however I think I’ve tried many of the best and some of the worst in the city and can give some sort of judgement for what it’s worth. In the early days our regular haunts were places like The Reliance, Arts Cafe, Lucky Dragon (sadly no more), Salvos and Viva Cuba and fast forward fourteen years and the landscape has changed so much already, I can imagine on my visits back how it’s going to alter even further!!

With all this choice, choosing where to get a feed can be an arduous task, so to give you a helping hand in the decision making I’ve come up with my list of where to eat in the city. I’ve categorised them as best as I can, I’m sure there’s probably a better way of doing it, but I’ve tried my best.

I see this list as a flexible one, one that’ll change with new additions and possibly deletions if needed. Apologies to any more than worthy establishments left off, this list could go on and on all down to the fact the depth of quality available now is so good, but it has to stop somewhere!

NB: places with an asterisk * are probably my absolute faves, I’ve included establishments which I’ve heard great things about on my ‘wish list’ and ones I’ve enjoyed that need revisiting.

Go for the best coffee, snappily dressed baristas and gorgeous baked goods from local baking legends Noisette Bakehouse, That Old Chestnut and Dumouchel! Prefer something savoury? The avocado on sourdough is a must even though it looks too beautiful to eat, or maybe one of their tasty sandwiches. Currently with two locations; the original on New Station Street, the second at Belgrave Music Hall, a third is soon to be revealed from a collaboration with Duke Studios resulting in the Sheaf St Cafeteria!

Visit for its beautiful space with a bohemian vibe, great locally roasted Maude coffee and pretty vintage cups and spoons not just to gaze at, but also to use. Great for brunch – their pancakes win every time!

One of Leeds’ coffee indie originals and still up there with the best, its VQ hub is great for a pick me up whilst on the run, if your lucky to be near Chapel Allerton, head to the shop for a sit down, great Square Mile coffee and a slice of a little something from superstar vegan bakers That Old Chestnut.

Their coffee’s served with Italian passion and partnered with pastries, antipasti and homemade pasta. With two venues to choose from; one in The Light and a second outpost in the city’s financial district on Bond Court.

Visit for food cooked with love, the best full English and veggie breakfast in town at a bargain price too. What the place lacks in square footage it makes up for with great food and service from genuinely lovely people. If you spot their homemade scotch eggs on the counter, make sure you grab one before their all gone!

Usually held monthly (apart from summer months) Laynes Espresso currently serve Sunday brunch at Belgrave Music Hall and it’s a real Sunday treat. The regularly changing menu always has something a bit special for both lovers of the savoury or the sweet. Previous dishes have included sourdough french toast, sweetcorn fritters, salt beef hash all with extra trimmings!

My current fave amongst an ever-growing number of Thai spots in the city, with top quality food that’s dead cheap! It’s not the biggest spot which adds to the charm of the place, so booking ahead could be the way to go, if you are unlucky takeout is always good option saving you even more of your hard earned cash!

This very popular restaurant finally reopened a few doors from their original site after much anticipation……a few glitches on my first visit back, but I’ve been hearing good things since. Great to see their bargainous lunch offer is still available too – £6.95 for two courses!

Leeds doesn’t have many Vietnamese spots to my knowledge, but this is definitely a handy one to know. Found on Great George Street and run by a lovely couple passionate about the food from their homeland. Their menu maybe short, but everything is made really well, in particular their Banh Mi’s baguettes which are damn good! Opening hours are limited, however they are perfect for lunch and kind to the pocket!!

This place may feel like a cafe, but the food it cooks up are restaurant quality! Mostly Chinese with a few Malaysian additions, you’ll see dishes ranging from tasty, filling wonton soup to roasted belly pork and rice, even suckling pig if your organised. Great food, quick friendly service and value for money.

The idea of Bulgogi Grill is to cook your own dinner, think marinated meats and seafood, wrapped in lettuce with pickled veg, rice and lettuce! It’s not the cheapest on paper, but diners get lots for their money – you won’t leave hungry!Friendly and attentive without being in your face. On the up side it’s interactive and a bit of fun, on the downside it’s hard not to end up smelling of grilled food!

Fuji’s been around for years and is still a popular choice for many, with its no frills canteen style feel and sizeable noodle and rice dishes. My go to dishes are edamame beans, ebi or spicy beef gyoza, then yaki soba or cha han. The two course set meals is the way to go here.

There aren’t many decent sushi places in the city, but this is one of them. At times the service can be a little sketchy, butthey’ve definitely improved since opening. If sushi isn’t your thing, they also have an extensive menu covering all things like noodles, rice and Bento boxes!

Another notable favourite – BangWok and their glorious pad thai, currently open weekday lunchtimes!!!

On the wish list –Line Thai Orientalon Great George Street I hear is doing some good things. Also May’s Thai Cafe in Hyde Park – loved her food when she traded at Kirkgate Market, but am yet to visit the cafe.

This popular bar is just as well loved in its alternative guise as a street food venue, the two go hand in hand with their well crafted drinks menu and equally well thought food offerings. I ALWAYS find it really difficult not ordering a table full of food here, it’s a great spot any time of day, however week day lunch times they currently have a deal on – 2 dishes for £7.

Found in the beautiful surroundings of the Corn Exchange, hummus and falafel are their thing and you won’t go wrong with their the falafel pitta or humpit classic! Run by really lovely people, great value for money and filling! Great spot for lunch in town.

This suburban gem has served the folk of Chapel Allerton for years and has done so with tasty Mexican food. Great for catering to groups of varying sizes, their small plates are ideal for sharing, whilst their burritos, enchiladas or sharing platters can satisfy those with bigger appetites and larger groups!

One to revisit – Neon Cactus, older sister restaurant of Cielo Blanco. For me, it has to be their feast menu (to share obviously) washed down with a caipirinha or two…!!!

On the wish list –Casa Colombianain the Grand Arcade. Tried the coffee but not the food, even though they’ve been on the list for a year!!

Arguably serve up the best burgers in Leeds, for me it’s a toss up between their ultra messy Dirty Burger (beef) or the spiced up Colonel Patty (chicken), on the fries side the double portion session fries are pretty awesome with smokey mayo and pancetta!! Find them at their home in Belgrave Music Hall or at festivals around the country.

On my ‘wish list’ – Boss Burgers on Brudenell Grove, I’ve heard from many as probably being the best takeaway burger joint in Leeds. Another one I’ve failed to visit and I can’t put my finger on why is Meat Liquor!!

Cracking Italian in suburban Meanwood, serving up plates to die for; including a mouth watering beef pappardelle and those deep fried zucchini which have semi-legendary status around these parts. Dead friendly staff and lip smackingly good cocktails too.

This city centre bar/restaurant has a great selection Italian wines, friendly, knowledgeable staff and a small but great selection of Italian classics on the menu. My go to dishes are their humble lasagne and the porchetta accompanied by the odd Aperol Spritz!

At lunch and dinner they have a great tapas menu, while on Saturday’s their bar is fully laden with Basque-inspired pintxos, reminding me of time spent in San Sebastian. There are some very reasonable menu deals and you’ll be treated to dead friendly service.

Go here for a modern take on Basque cuisine, inspired by the tastes of northern Spain and their downstairs gin bar. Having visited a couple of times I enjoyed the food and liked the gin bar, but thought the service could beimproved a lot. One for a treat, as always with tapas it’s easy to order a table full of food and end up with a hefty bill because it’s not thecheapest.

One to revisit – El Bareto, not been for years, but I hear it still delivers the goods!

This fantastic stall at Kirkgate Market is a firm favourite with Leeds folk! It’s hard to hold yourself back and not to be tempted by a plethora of dips and salads whilst your order is prepared. Only open during market hours though and the popular chicken shawarma has been known to sell out way before closing time. A great spot to bag a bargain for lunch or takeaway tea.

This Rodley outpost brings the food of Turkey to Leeds with classics like Iskender kebab, kofte and Pide (Turkish version of pizza). Great food – it would be very easy to get full on the mezze options alone.

This Headingley spot has a large menu, so I stick to the classics made by their Neapolitan pizza makers Pizzaiolo, using ingredients imported from Italy. Go for the classic Margherita Ecco – you won’t regret it, but if you prefer something more extravagant no doubt you’ll find it here!

A slice of Dough Boys is hard to resist when you step into the Belgrave Music Hall, especially when it’s half price a slice!!! The Sausage Fest and Baa No More are my personal faves, but every now and again one of their themed pizzas catches my eye.

Food/art, art/food – Michael O’Hare’s pushing the boundaries and doing it in Leeds which can only be an amazing thing. A tasting menu that not only looks stunning but pushes and prods the senses to the max. Perfect for a special occasion. If the multi-course degustation menu is a little out of your price bracket, they also serve a more pocket friendly lunch Friday/Saturdays.

Award-winning rustic French cooking from a Yorkshireman, has been a popular choice for many years. Booking is normally essential to nab yourself a table here and the food doesn’t disappoint. My only gripe is that even though the staff are really lovely and friendly, service can be slow – possibly a consequence of its popularity.

A long time favourite of mine – The Reliance is friendly, relaxed, understated and serves great food using seasonal ingredients treated simply all day long. With a thoughtful wine list and beers to match, it’s only got better over the years!

Sublime heartwarming food produced from locally sourced, seasonal ingredients, carefully prepared and beautifully cooked is what you’ll get here. Think charring, pickling, braising and a whole other manner of techniques used to create damn tasty plates!

A collaboration between a number of folk from Leeds’ food and drink scene, including chef Joe Hepworth of Hepworths Deli fame. If you’re lucky to get a ticket to one of their events you’ll be treated to an innovative menu served in an unusual dining space.

The Greedy Pig’s alter ego where thoughtful dishes are produced often using ingredients which are less commonly used. They may be better known for their love of pleasing the carnivores amongst us, however their vegetarian dishes are prepared and cooked with the equal aplomb. Their BYOB menu is perfect for sharing, all plates are £5 each so two/three people could treat themselves to the whole menu!!!

Run by two food lovers who base their BYOB supper club events on well known cook books, it all takes place in a secret location which happens to be one of the homes of these two amateur cooks. You’ll be treated to a glorious multi-course experience and the chance to chat to fellow food lovers. Ticket prices can range depending on the event, but it’s always value for money in my opinion!!

On the wish list –Trestle. The idea – 12 people sat around one table in an unusual location somewhere in Leeds. Gutted to have never made it to one of their events…. one day maybe….!

Another award winner, but rightfully so with thoughtfully selected meat, cheese, wine and craft ales and ciders in beautifully designed surroundings……there’s not much else to say really! Lovely, knowledgable staff who guide even the most clueless (meaning me) person in the art of cheese etc!! You’ll find me sat at the Ham Bar probably with a glass of wine and a board of meat!!!

Found in the suburbs ofMoortown, this Jewish deli/cafe is a very popular spot. Famed for its sandwiches, including their awesome chicken schnitzel with potato latkes and the Grobber, their version of salt beef on rye reminiscent of what you get in NYC’s Katz’s Deli!!

One to revisit (over and over) –Belgrave Feast– go for brilliant street food from a whole range of different cuisines, all under one roof in the Belgrave Music Hall, oh I mustn’t forget Sarah’s Noisette Bakehouse with her next level baking creations and Layne’s coffee!!!

I’ll be interested to see how new additions turn out over the next year, such as Turtle Bay, Smokehouse (I wasn’t too impressed by their Sheffield restaurant), The Brunswick and WIno Bar and Merchants!!

Any recommendations for the list of where to try on my visits back would be great!!!

On the 22nd August, Belgrave Music Hall will be hosting a Wray & Nephew takeover as they bring Jamaica Rum Tings celebration of Jamaican culture to the city’s Northern Quarter. Sounds like it’ll be a great event – it is supposed to be summer after all!! The event will be doing its best to mimic the country’s well known relaxed party vibe with music from DJ’s Toddla T and Daddy G (Massive Attack) playing exclusive Reggae sets with support from MC Serocee, Manchester Sound System Dub Smuggler, London’s Rompa’s & Shepdog and Leeds’ own Reggae Roots & Bass!

There’ll be plenty on offer in terms of liquid refreshments, Wray & Nephew will be bringing along Overproof Rum for their thirst quenching Reggae Rum Punch and there’ll be a Jerk BBQ to satisfy hungry stomachs.

As part of the celebration there’ll be fun and games with Wray’s Drinks Trolley Free Pour Challenge – watching guests try pour a perfect 25ml measure, also a Reggae Rum Punch Relay Race, where teams try and make a Reggae Rum Punch faster than the Jamaican 4x100m relay team’s world record; of course there’s prizes for winners courtesy of Wray & Nephew.

With the whole leaving Leeds and moving down south thing going on, I planned a mini food tour to visit some of my favourites in and around the city. The massive choice I had at my disposal made whittling choices down a difficult one, but don’t me wrong, it’s a ‘hardship’ I was happy to take on!! An all day feed calls for a little restraint and careful pacing, especially when you eat as much as I do, the last thing I wanted was to be full to bursting after lunch!

So Friday I dragged a friend round with me to kill two birds with one stone; firstly it gave me a great excuse (not that I really need one) to go visit my faves, secondly I could introduce her to a few spots I constantly talk about.

For breakfast it was a toss up between The Grub and Grog Shop at Northern Monk Refectory and The Greedy Pig; the Pig’s full English is my go-to breakfast (over their pancakes which are also top notch) when I visit, but knowing what the day entailed pushed me towards something smaller. I’d been banging on to the point of exhaustion to my friend about Grub and Grog, so put my money where my mouth was. Their breakfast menu definitely spoils with every dish – my homemade crumpets were made even better by beautiful fermented wild honey and they soon won over my friend with buckwheat blinis with all the trimmings and North Star coffee. I think they’ve won a new fan and she’s vowed to be back.

My love for Leeds independent coffee scene has been well documented on the blog, so it was inevitable there’d be a mid-morning caffeine stop, the last few years has seen the rise of independents above the many chains scattered across the city and with local roasters, such as North Star and Maude it continues to grow from strength to strength. Of the big four (Laynes Espresso, La Bottega Milanese, Mrs Atha’s and Opposite) Laynes is my absolute fave and I’m gonna miss ordering my regular; a piccolo and relaxing even for a short time in the tranquility of the shop, all whilst people watching; whether it be the beautifully attired baristas do their thing or Leeds folk go about their daily business outside.

Lunch called for great food in relaxed surroundings, so for me The Reliance fitted the bill! This indie’s been a fave since the early days of my life in Leeds, some 14 years ago and we’ve celebrated many events here – birthdays, Christmases and reunions, it’s always drawn me back basically because they do a great job full stop! Its laid back, relaxed atmosphere and friendly service puts you at ease, they understand the use of local, seasonal ingredients and produce great dishes. It doesn’t cost the earth either!

It surprised us both that we’d unwittingly gone for a veggie lunch and absolutely beautiful it was too – chargrilled courgettes with fettle cheese, chilli and mint, alongside some greens with a knock out hazelnut butter laced with a touch of chilli. I could’ve eaten a double portion of my herb tabbouleh with aubergine, brought it to life with pomegranate seeds – it was pretty damn awesome! An obligatory side of fries was no surprise choice as far as I was concerned, as they’re always good.

Dinner wasn’t booked till after 7pm, so we had a few leisurely hours to kill – what better way than spending them with cocktails and a mini feed to keep us going?! I wanted to pop into Roland’s for one of their fancy cocktails, but we’d got there before opening time, damn shame, so went back up the street to Neon Cactus for a caipirinha and a lagerita. For the mini feed I suggested Red Chilli, even though their originally from the other side of the Pennines it was the ideal place as I’d developed a hankering for dumplings. Of course one portion of dumplings is never enough, so we also shared salt and pepper chicken wings and sesame pan fried dumplings because lets face it, it had to be done! Of the few Chinese restaurants my parents have tried in Leeds, even they liked it so that can only be a good thing, especially with their exacting standards.

For dinner my first choice was to revisit Zucco, this Meanwood Italian has established itself amongst the best restaurants in the city. I’m so glad I booked as it got busy quickly and for good reason too – glorious food and friendly service. We settled for two plates each, I predictably went for dishes I’d enjoyed before – beef pappardelle and zucchini, my friend thought her choices in particular the smoked haddock and scallops were beautifully cooked. It was probably a good thing we weren’t really sharing as perhaps that dish didn’t really lend itself to it unlike the others. Regardless, the dishes were cooked faultlessly and it was another place my friend would definitely be keeping in mind for the future.

Originally the plan was to make Bundobust my last stop for a spot of old school supper and join in their 1st birthday celebrations, but however tempting the idea was I just couldn’t manage anything else!!

If you had a day to eat your way through Leeds or anywhere else that matter, where would you go?

Whatever the weather a few cocktails are always a great way of spending a few hours I reckon, but especially in the summer even though it can’t seem to make its mind up at the moment! Cabana in Trinity may be better known for Brazilian influenced food, but they’ve also got a range of cocktails to quench the thirst. We all know that cocktails can cost a pretty penny, so to get more for your money they’re offering 2 for 1 on cocktails between 12 – 7pm and 10pm – close. I was invited last week to try out some complimentary drinks and snacks and here’s my round up of the ones we tried:

Mango and passion fruit Batida.

Batida cocktails made with cachaça and condensed milk they were very smooth and creamy, reminding me of an Indian Lassi. From a pair of mango and passionfruit Batida, my favourite was definitely the mango as I found the passionfruit version too sharp.

Ipanema iced tea

I really liked the Ipanema iced tea, it was definitely a bit of a favourite amongst us especially because it had lots of zingy ginger!

Spicy malagueta kick caipirinha

The spicy malagueta kick caipirinha split the vote between us, I really liked it packed with raspberries and a smack of heat from the chilli giving a punch of background heat.

Selection of snacks and nibbles

The tortilla chips with decent guacamole had enough chilli to liven it up a touch. From the nibbles selection of toasted corn nuts, chilli coconut chips, plantain chips and malagueta pork scratchings, my fave were definitely the last two!! We couldn’t really get our heads around the chilli coconut chips – they looked a bit like finger nails which was off putting, maybe eating them our eyes closed would’ve done the trick?!

Frozen strawberry caipirinha

The frozen strawberry caipirinha was like a grown up slush puppy with lots of fruit and of course some cachaça!

Blueberry and acai caipirinha was nice and fruity, not too sour and refreshing

Blueberry and acai caipirinha was nice and fruity, refreshing and not too sour.

This is from a few weekends ago, so sorry for the slow write up! I’d stayed south for a bit with a couple of races in the diary, the second of which was the Nike Women’s 10K. It’d been a great morning running alongside other women, from serious athletes to complete novices, it felt very empowering even when I was being passed on the outside! The sun was out and it turned out to be a scorcher of a morning where I left London after bagging a new PB, a glass of champagne to celebrate and another bit of bling. Once I’d got back to Woking I fancied a Sunday evening curry as you do, a little surprising as when it gets warm I tend to stay away from hot and spicy food.

We’d tried Thali Thali recently which was good, but wanted to see what else Woking had to offer so searched the web for ideas. One of the main streets in Woking’s town centre is Chertsey Road, it’s lined with a mixture of well known establishments like Nando’s and the like, but just down the road are Thali Thali and a few others including Jaipur and Bombay Night, both with similar menus the latter possibly a little less expensive.

We arrived at Bombay Night first so went for it, getting there early doors the place was empty, however hardly surprising at 6pm. Staff seemed friendly and drinks were quickly ordered, but for whatever reason they brought over a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon instead of Sauvignon Blanc for my husband; he’s allergic to red so we definitely didn’t order it. Thankfully it was quickly remedied, but after a number of minutes of waiting.

It’s standard to start off with popadoms and pickle tray, so who were we to argue and for once there was a lime pickle that I actually liked. Usually I can’t handle the spicy sourness probably because I’m a bit of a wuss, but this was much gentler. Not to say we both liked it though as my husband tried it just the once.

The starters tasted good, in particular the mixed kebab with really flavourful, tender meat and a kick of heat. They were possibly a tad smaller than we’re used to, but I suppose the saying quality over quantity and all that’s there for good reason. One niggle with my dish were the prawns, it was going well until I saw a few with those awful veins which need removing. Such a shame.

Mixed kebab

Prawn puree

Even though our main courses were completely different dishes, apart from one being prawn and one chicken they both looked very similar. Both dishes known for not being particularly spicy were The bhuna tasted good, there was loads of prawns, but again there were a few with those horrible veins running through them, it’s an annoyance removing the horrible offenders and then getting on with eating it. The other half’s garlic chicken was as it’s name suggested with plenty of soft chicken and garlic, so all good there.

I enjoyed my curry overall, the sauce wasn’t ridiculously orange like some I’ve seen. The prawns, even though well cooked, it’s really annoying when a number of them are not clean and have that horrible black vein running along them. If I’d found them early on I’d have said something, but I’d already eaten a portion of it. But then it got me thinking if I’d already eaten some of the bad ones…the thought turns me a bit sick.

Prawn bhuna

Garlic chicken

Keema rice

The garlic naan wasn’t the largest I’ve ever had, but it was garlicky and great for mopping up the curry!

Garlic Naan

I think from the two we’ve tried so far, I’d definitely go back to Thali Thali over Bombay Night.

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Hi, I'm Diane and welcome to my blog. I'm currently hopping between Leeds and the South finding the best and the worst in food and drink whilst on my travels. You'll find reviews and recommendations, sometimes the odd thing about running, travel and my life in general.